Monster
by InvisibleGeek
Summary: "Sometimes I forget what its like outside, or if there is one at all. I'm sometimes convinced that there's nothing out there but darkness, and that my memories are the shadows of forgotten dreams." His grip went visibly slack, and for a moment, the guardians began to wonder.
1. Prologue

Darkness.

Sometimes it's all I remember.

Sitting in the liquid black, my world void of light and sound.

It wasn't always this way, on occasion, I can dimly remember light. The way the sun felt against my skin, the wind tossing me in playful excitement.

My fingers traveled the length of the cell walls, the smooth ice so flawless and consistent that I began to feel sick. I couldn't even take comfort in the material the prison was made from, its walls felt ceraceous under my fingertips.

I curled into a ball, holding my stomach against the dry heaves that over took my weak body. Spit froze on my lips and chin, and I closed my eyes against the sickly feeling pulsing through me. It's been too long, I haven't heard a voice in what felt like an eternity. Only ringing silence. The endless silence.

Who was I?

Jack Frost.

A voice startled me, and with shock I realized that I had spoken, an ability I had thought lost.

"Jack Frost.."

I continued to speak aloud, repeating my name like a mantra.

"Jack Frost."

My pale, trembling, fingers stilled. Strength growing seemingly from nowhere.

"Jack Frost."

My hoarse voice croaked as it increased in volume, my blue eyes opening.

"Jack Frost."

I crawled to the cells bars, white knuckled fists gripping the ice poles.

"Jack Frost!"

I was screaming now, and distantly I could see lantern light swinging against the white walls. The ice reacted to my rage, hoarfrost growing into spikes as I screamed against the darkness.

"Jack Frost!"

Yes, it was rage I felt. Burning past my sickness, strengthening my limbs. They took me from my home, fake smiles and promises warming my heart and gaining my trust. Then they took my staff and threw me in here, away from the sky and the stars. Away from the snow and the sun. Away from the wind and my staff. Away, away, away.

"JACK FROST!" I roared, my now glowing blue eyes making out the oncoming form of a beast, it's furry body taking up much of the hallway. Other spirits heard my cries, and began yelling out their names, denying this nothingness we've been forced to endure.

The beast and his orange lantern now stood in front of me, his beady eyes glinting in anger. I looked back into those eyes, chin raised in defiance. The ice spikes grew taller, and I smirked, my enraged voice leaving my throat in calm, scratchy intractability.

"Hello Phil. It's been a while."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Toothina glided into the globe room, her silk robes swaying, unable to stop the smile that grew upon entering. North's workshop was truly one of her favorite places on the planet. It smelled of Christmas, with elves and yetis bustling, lights twinkling, and magnificent toys that peeked ones imagination.

Glimmers of golden light caught her eye, and she turned to greet a small glowing man made entirely of shifting sands, a silver circlet resting on his brow. His face held a serene, almost tired smile to it, and he raised his goblet to her. "Sandy! How've you been?" She gushed, feathers simmering under the soft glow of his rising sand. Albeit before her violet orbs could decipher his floating messages, coordinates shot through her brain, their small talk suddenly forgotten and irrelevant. She stiffened, immediately relaying to her hovering fairies, watching the miniature replicas dart about, zipping through the air in colorful streaks.

Sandy sighed in defeat, rolling his eyes and gliding over elves to the egg nog. Refilling his sliver goblet, the glittering man nodded to a fairy that was headed outside, she being polite enough to give him a passing wave.

Suddenly, the massive oak doors flew open, a bone-chilling wind filled the hall and frost laced up the nearest walls, throwing the tiny fairy back to her Queen. Sandy, being as light as he is, was blown backwards, his goblet falling to the floor with a clang.

Gathering his bearings, he moved back to the table, looking around for his goblet, the wind still screaming its rage filled cry. A smiling elf handed it to him, its expression not faltering as Sandy's tired face melted into shock. The previously warm drink was frozen, the ripples from the wind now solid ridges.

A pooka, with tribal markings on his gray fur and a hooded poncho swinging from his shoulders, tried in vain to close the doors he opened, spring green eyes wide with panic. Toothina flew up to the new comer, helping him shut the ancient carved doors against the unnatural wind that continuously blew in.

As though all was forgiven, the wind randomly changed direction, leaving the building and bringing the giant doors to a close behind itself.

"Thanks mate." Aster sarcastically breathed as the door banged shut, eyes darting. He spotted North as the large, tattooed man entered the room, happiness quickly fading from his expression. "What is wrong Bunny?" He asked, noting the unnaturally cold temperature. The pooka bonded up to him, the two other guardians listening in.

"He's at it again North."

No trace of mirth was left as his words sunk in, the man looking around with disappointment. "Ahh..." His gaze hardened, and he barked out orders, authority strengthening his voice."Kevin, Frank, watch the elves. We're going to cliffs."

Toothina's wings snapped shut in excitement, and she landed on the ground, squealing, "Really!?" She gracefully spun into the air, her incandescent robes swirling with memories, before the coordinates flashed and she forgot to be excited, obediently relaying to her fairies.

Sandy shook his head, rolling his eyes at his coworkers reaction, his circlet glinting. She had some sort of twisted fascination with their most troublesome criminal, and never got to see him because of the fact.

Bunny twitched nervously, pupils shrinking with dread. "We're all going? Why? I don't think that's a good idea North."

A few elves delivered the legend his golden coat and a yeti gave him his jewel embedded swords, grunting in greeting. The former Cossack slipped into his signature garments, smiling grimly in response. "Why shouldn't we? He is problem no? We'll handle it together." With that he left the building, holding out a hand against the biting wind, his feet taking an all too familiar path to a ice bridge.

Toothina was quick to follow, wrist and head feathers fluttering in response to the gelid temperature, already gushing over the trapped spirit. "It's been so long! What, thirty years? Forty? Ooooo! I'm so excited!"

Sandy patted reluctant Aster on the back, his sands comically forming into winter gear, then left the building's warmth with shoulders hunched. "Fine!" The pooka exclaimed, making his way after the three guardians, griping all the while about the cold.

Past the caves that served as the yetis homes, was the thin ice bridge, which hung frozen over a deep chasm of darkness. Stepping foot onto it, North shivered. Inside the shadows was where they kept the worst immortal criminals, condemning them to an eternity of entrapment. Most slept, awaiting the Day of Fate, which was when condemnedFather Time declared would be the death of them...or their liberation. Sandy and Tooth were nervous of the prophecy, and Aster couldn't care less. North considered all of it gibberish, especially coming from a blind, insane immortal.

Huffing indignantly, North continued to cautiously walk forward, squinted eyes raised to the ice tower that held their weakest spirits.

They cautiously made their way across, halting only when the wind's bursts became too dangerous to endure, Sandy's sand securing them tightly to the slick bridge. Bunny whimpered on one particularly angry blast, the darkness unnaturally deepening below in reaction to his fear.

On the other side stood a Yeti, waving his arms frantically, his fur iced over and spiked at odd angles. North patted the beast on the back, ignoring the crunching sound made upon impact. "Phil! How is life on this side of abyss?"

The yeti gave him a half lidded stare, as though asking, 'what do you think?'

North nodded, not truly interested to begin with, then turned to his fellow guardians, the tallest of which was struggling to get off of the slick bridge. "I wish we could use the tunnels mate! Stupid wards against magic.."

North interrupted him, patting his gut that shifted beneath his golden coat and silver robes. "Bunny! If you can't calm down you have to stay here, alone with the wind." He looked around suggestively, and as though in emphasis a freezing gust blasted the Christmas and Easter deities backwards, closer to the edge. "Okay! Okay mate!" He cried, furry fists nervously twisting in his poncho. "But after this I'm going to the warren," he gulped, green eyes darting. "Forget about the meeting."

Toothina sighed in response to their antics, inching towards the moonlight ward. It simmered in the pale suns glow, made of woven moonbeams, and it objectively secured the cave entrance.

Phil grumbled at the miniature fairy fluttering by his face, lifting his gloved hand to the shifting ward. His palm rested against it and glimmered, a white, oval shaped jewel imbedded in the glove sparked, it's glow blooming into a stunning brilliance.

Bunny tightened his fist, which held up his hood against the elements, wincing in the light's harsh glow. When it faded, the ward opened itself, revealing dark, winding hall and allowing the five to enter.

Phil bent to get a lantern, turning the tiny handle, only to find it frozen shut, it's glow reduced to dying orange embers. He grunted, raising his fist and slamming it on the lanterns hinge, breaking the ice. He then carefully lit it, watching with mild anticipation as the flames grew steady.

Now in the tunnels, the guardians felt the hairs, feathers, and sand grains on the back of their necks rise, the air growing colder. As they progressed deeper, the thick darkness gave way to dim blue light, the temperature dropping low enough to snuff out the lantern's pale flame.

Albeit, Phil was fine with that, for the lantern was no longer needed due to the glowing spikes of ice.

Whenever they walked past a cell, the prisoner in that cell screamed, basing their head against the bars. Bunny couldn't refrain from kicking at the groundhog, who asked if he was enjoying his stolen home. He only calmed when a petite hand rested itself on his shoulder, violet eyes letting him know that he was the one with the warren, not the prison cell.

Aside from Phil, Toothina seemed to be the only one who wasn't fazed, smiling still as they walked past spirits screaming her name. Calling her the moons whore and face stealer. They all got called out, Manny's puppets, hypocrites, liars, light reapers, ignorant swine, home stealers, power hunters, etc. Albeit not a single one of them felt any guilt, after all, the moon chose them, not the others.

They got to the end of a particular hall where the spikes grew taller than a yeti, casting a menacing glow on the group. Behind these spikes was a darkened cell that they knew to be the source of all this chaos.

Toothina ducked under a low spike and climbed over another, her wings folded against her back to make her slimmer, the bigger male guardians struggling to do the same.

She stood in front of the cage, North trying to climb over an almost horizontal spike, outspread fingers nearly touching the frosty bars. The cold air felt different in front of the cell, each breath she inhaled chilling her lungs in an almost refreshing way.

"Jack..?" She breathlessly called, her violet eyes alit, voice bouncing off the smooth walls. She leaned forward, listening for a sound, any noise that would indicate the spirits presence, her petite fingers wrapping around the chilled bars.

And then he was there. Pale hands reaching from the darkness and curling around the bars, yanking his young face into the light. Toothina lept into the air in shock, letting go of the cage and beating her wings hard, hands clutched at her chest. He looked the same as always, unnaturally pale with boyish features, cerulean eyes hardened with anger.

It was those eyes that frightened her. Deep with emotion and glowing in the gloom. They made her feel guilty for her actions, despite them being completely justified under the moons jurisdiction.

Shaking the foreign emotion off, she fluttered closer to Jack, albeit still keeping her distance, a nervous smile lighting her features. Her breath appeared in hot coulds between them, and she rubbed her arms, the feeling of enchanted silk soft under her fingertips. "Hello Jack, remember me?"

He raised his head forward, pale hands still clutching the bars, seemingly for support, beams of light highlighting his white hair. Surprise and confusion lowered his guarded expression, before he remembered the light and his eyes narrowed. When he spoke, Toothina felt the foreign emotion gnaw at her stomach and she frowned, wondering if this was why her friends never let her visit him. Jack's voice was rough and warped, the words struggling to form in their unpracticed state. "Its hard to remember anything but darkness, but yes, I remember you. Vaguely. You're the fairy with the soft voice and wicked words." His gaze held so much pain, so much hatred and confusion, that for a moment Toothina questioned. Was this rig-

Her though was cut off as three more coordinates shot into her brain, the concept she was about to grasp gone from her mind. She immediately relayed to her fairies, not realizing that none were present and her words were gibberish. North and the others finally made it over to her, the male guardians all glaring at the prisoner with equal vehemence. The white haired spirit sunk back into the shadows, hands unconsciously traveling to the back of his head in remembered pain.

Toothina felt disappointment flood her system, turning to her companions. "Now look what you did," she scolded, crossing her arms. "You're scaring him." North shrugged in false apology and Sandy rubbed the back of his neck, bashful. Bunny snorted, shooting another glare Jack's way and taking out his Boomerang. "He deserves it if ya ask me, stirring up trouble. If I was in his position I'd sit and do my time like a good spirit."

The guardians jumped as Jack grabbed the bars again, coming into the light to reveal his rage. "Just how long is 'my time'!? I didn't even do anything and you've kept me captive here for most of my life!" The Pooka opened his mouth to retort, only to be cut off as the spirit continued, his voice softening. "Sometimes I forget what its like outside, or if there is one at all. I'm sometimes convinced that there's nothing out there but darkness, and that my memories are the shadows of forgotten dreams." His grip went visibly slack, and for a moment, the guardians began to wonder.

Then another spirit screamed and they jumped, the tense air cleared and questions forgotten. The Pooka had jumped the highest, fur sticking up in sudden fear, and Jack found it somewhere within to laugh. The sound was odd, due to his voice, and it sounded more like a strangled sob, but it lightened his heart. Albeit as the Easter entity realized the sound for what it was, any pity he might've felt vanished. Despite Tooth's cries against it, Bunny reached out quickly, grabbing Jack's strange colored locks and yanking his head forward, bringing his other hand down forcedly. Jack screamed when the boomerang hit home, falling out of Bunny's grasp and onto the cell floor, hands clutching his head.

Bunny knelt down by the bars, looking in at Jack. "I don't care if you lose your memory entirely, just stop with the nonsense. If you were worth the effort, Manny would tell us to free you, but you're not. To him, to us, and to every other spirit, you're nothing." He stood, pulling his poncho hood back on. His words seemed to do the trick, the ice shards already shrinking and retreating back into the walls.

North laughed as they began walking back the way they came, finding humor in how easy it was to crush the vermin below them. Everyone went there so determined to help fix the problem, and it turned out all they needed was Bunny. Sandy tapped his arm, smiling up at the Cossack as the image of a penguin and a frowny face formed above him. They both laughed, ignoring Toothina who rolled her eyes, trying to stop herself from glancing back at the moaning criminal.

**_To explain the guardians odd behavior: They've spent all of their immortal lives as the moon's puppets, and because they're brainwashed and spoiled they've lost sight of their centers. They don't even realize the unrighteousness of their actions. _**


	3. Chapter 2

Somewhere deep in a deciduous forest, off the east coast of the America's, two spirits conversed. The hushed importance of their words disturbed the shuddering trees, whose leaves trembled in response as they hid their faces. Roots sunk deeper into the earth, seeking refuge from the wrath that moon light was sure dispense.

The taller of the two, a brunet who seemed at lost for words, stared at his companion shockingly. He rubbed his head, turning from her and sighing. She seemed ashamed, and hid her pale face behind a wall of red hair. "What are you saying?" He breathed, as though he feared the answer but was forced to ask.

This was too much for the blue-eyed entity, who stared pleadingly at his back. "Look at me Hiccup."

He didn't, thick locks slightly swaying as he shook his head. His hands curled into clenched fists, trembling like that of the leaves flitting about them.

Close to tears now, the red head asked again, forcing her whispered plead past the lump in her throat. "Please Hiccup..look at me."

He spoke quickly, voice harsh as he continued to neglect her request. "Are you saying that we should-"

"Look at me!" She cried, tears falling as the hardness in his tone increased.

He angrily spun around, throwing his arms out in disbelief as he yelled," DO YOU WANT US TO GIVE UP!?" As he spoke, his physical form wavered, emotions beginning influencing the vulnerability of the power drained spirit. He was now shorted than her, freckles more prominent and eyes wide with hopelessness. A child. "Everything we worked for...all the things we fought for, you just want to give up? To forget what they did, and let them get away with it?"

They stared at one another, both pairs of eyes wet before she broke off, looking at the forest floor. He seemed softer now, and walked up to her, reaching out to touch her but deciding against it, his gaze locking on his freckled hand. "You would let him get away...unpunished...when he took you away from your family. He treats lives like they're toys Merida, and no one has done anything about it." His hand curled into a fist in an attempt to stop the trembling that had over taken him.

Their gazes met again and she spoke, an out-of-character bite to her tone. "No one can. We don't have the numbers, let alone the power to stand up to the moon. I'm not one to give up but what other choice is there?" Her blue eyes narrowed, and she rubbed her arms in discomfort. "I don't want to see another friend die for a hopeless cause."

"Ana's death upset all of us-" Hiccup began, only to stop as she shook her head.

"Its not that it matters, after she remembered who she was _before_, her strength left her. She was dead long before the moon reclaimed her."

It had been a millennia since he had seen her so broken, so hopeless, and that had only been after they stumbled dying bear. It was entirely unexpected, yet she sobbed. She herself didn't know why.

Hiccup swallowed, hands curled into loose fists as his eyes darted about them. His green orbs scanned the trees, watching the way the thin beams of light trembled when breaking through the sullen leaves, and the way even the shadows seemed to slink away from them. This is what the world had become, and they needed something to spark hope into their hearts, a light to fuel their once passionate resistance against the spirit in the moon.

The sun was beginning to set, and in a result the forest darkened quickly. He watched the light leave the sky, golden hues swirling around the slipping sun and the moon's ever growing form beginning to take shape. Already, the rock appeared three times larger than normal, and any who knew of Manny's growing power knew it would soon over take the entirety of the sky.

* * *

Jack lay curled against the cell floor, shrouded in darkness once again. His trembling hands still clutched his head, chills running through him as his dark blood froze beneath his fingertips.

His thoughts circled the sensation, returning to the topic over and over as his blank eyes stared into the darkness.

Pain.

It was something he didn't truly know until they caught him, until he had been laying here for hundreds of years. It wasn't the pain of his head wound that bothered him, nor any of his past injuries. The inner agony he felt was what kept him curled on the ground. It was brutal as it grabbed his heart and slid through his torso, expanding in a fashion similar to his ice crystals. It made his throat clench and eyes moisten, and the longer he paid heed to it, the worse the feeling got. It was akin to guilt, though not nearly as self loathing, and where it was brethren with hatred, it held less darkness and enjoyment. He knew it wasn't a real injury, but that didn't explain way it hurt so terribly.

Like a mental parasite, it fed off of his thoughts. Whenever he questioned his existence and purpose, the reason for his entrapment, it grew worse. Perhaps it was a form of depression, an emotion he had little experience with before.

Jack sighed, rolling over unto his back and letting go of his head, closing his blue eyes against the swirling darkness. He had been thinking about _before _far too often lately, and the forgotten memories left him in an emotional jumble.

"All I wanted.." He whispered, recalling the feel of the sun's kiss on his skin, and the hollow echo of joy he past felt at the laughter of children. "Was to figure things out. I didn't know I was doing anything wrong. Nobody _told _me." He stopped himself, inhaling sharply and trying to ignore the lump in his throat. There wasn't a point in trying to explain himself, no one was there to listen.

"No one's ever there. Not even before."

* * *

Mists poured in through the trees, their blue tint giving way to softened white swirls as they obscured the forest floor. The rising sun crested beyond the tree line, the pale radiance of which dyed the world blindingly. The higher the sun rose, the brighter it became, until it's blossoming light turned the albescent fog into shimmering orange, fading back into blue beyond the horizon.

Merida and Hiccup were startled by the sudden change, their forms silhouetted by stray beams fluttering between shadowed trunks.

Every being in tune with nature cried out in horror, for the moon had only just rose. Creatures of the night fled, and those who cherished the sun trembled.

The light reached its final peak in an condensed beam before the pair, blinding them and muting their screams.

When it faded, all that remained was darkness, the entire event seemingly conjured up in their minds. Merida swore, eyes painfully adjusting and vision swimming with spots. Hiccup hissed, but recovered quicker, shifting to his adult form with a sigh from the breeze.

He gritted his teeth, then gasped when his eyes came across the fallen form of a woman. Her lengthy hair twisted about them, and his eyes couldn't help but lock on the radiant hue of the locks. Hiccup fell to his knees, lifting her petite form into his arms. "Miss!" He cried, shaking her gently and gaining the attention of his companion. The auburn-haired spirit rushed to his side, argument forgotten and forgiven at the sight troubled innocence in the woman's expression.

"Where did she come from?" Merida audibly wondered as haddock worked to wake the woman, her gaze traveling the horizon and squinting past the trees. Was that what the light was?

Albeit before she could ponder the matter the girl moaned, green eyes fluttering open. Hiccup leaned towards her, asking if she was alright as the woman independently sat up. The blonde blinked confusedly, mouth parted in awe of her surroundings.

"Who are you?" Merida quietly asked, her accented voice piercing the water-like air.

The innocence disappeared from the woman's expression, and was replaced with fierce determination. Her hands knotted in her violet skirts, and thin brows knitted above shining eyes.

Hiccup and Merida timidly shuffled, unsure what to make of her sudden change in character. They glanced at each other, before the strangers voice snapped back their focus.

"I am your savior."


End file.
